Currently reading: New MG sports car in development
The first steps towards a new MG sports car will be taken this year, while a new halo model is also under consideration

MG Motor’s Chinese design studios will be developing options for a new sports car this year, according to well placed insiders.

Exploratory sports car work has been scheduled for the vast SAIC design studios in Shanghai, which works in tandem with its studio at Longbridge in Birmingham.

However, a new sports car is not yet in the MG Motor product plan, because the brand has more vital models to pursue first. Instead, the aim is to investigate the kind of vehicle that a new sports model might be. 

Proposals are likely to include a traditional Mazda MX-5-style roadster, although the company might conclude that Mazda has this market sewn up, one source suggests. The 2012 Icon SUV crossover concept will also be a starting point for the exercise. 

MG is considering a halo model for the brand, too. This will not be the sports car but, again, could be partly inspired by the Icon. A halo model will need to appeal to buyers in China, where sports cars have very limited appeal. So an SUV or crossover seems more likely, especially since it will have international appeal.

Before any halo model is ready for the showroom, though, there will be a more stylish replacement for the 6

After the new 6, there will be a production version of the CS concept crossover unveiled at last year’s Shanghai show. A Qashqai rival, it’s scheduled for a 2015 launch, although it’s not clear whether this model will be part-built at Longbridge like the 3 and the 6.

The CS shares its platform with the 5 compact family hatchback, which might go on sale in the UK at a later date, but in facelifted form with updated powertrains.

An official announcement about the company’s next steps is expected later this year, possibly at MG’s 90th anniversary celebrations at Silverstone in June.

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Smilerforce 21 June 2014

How do you define good? They

How do you define good? They are products that offer nothing different to the market. They are confused as they haven't moved on! They linger to a past existence and try to emulate the future by offering nothing innovative or new to the market place. MG in in last guise was also hanging onto golden era that had past and pretty much the same thing has happened again. Sales are so insignificant that they make Aston Martin look like a high volume manufacturer.

Everything needs to be now. All you ever get from MG is sketches and pipe dreams. Mazda is leagues ahead of MG and thats hardly a runaway sales success.

The BTCC seems to be a side distraction as there seems to be virtually no significant impact on the brand. Well sales speak for themselves.

MG needs to think hard and long about it's future! It needs a different direction and more specifically good people that can help grow and foster it's brand.

jonboy4969 16 June 2014

Whats confused about it, they

Whats confused about it, they have an MG6 midsized saloon car and an MG3 hatc city car, both are very good at what they do, and the three is very well spcified and priced keenly too, the MG6 has just been reduced in price, although it could do with another £2k per model reduction to get it moving.

both are sporty, not particularily in the way they go, but the way they look, and with numerous options over a million in total, it is possible to have a very bespoke product, teh Sportscar mooted here, wont happen for at least a decade, they have other things to worry about first.

New MG6
New MG5
New engines and Gearboxes
New CS

then there will be the facelifted MG3, the MG5 will not come to this country in its current guise, maybe a decent facelift will make it a better bet, Mazda has proven that a medium sized saloon can sell with the Mazda3, so who knows.

I am more interested if MG will continue with BTCC after this, the third and final year, of these sponsorship, I fear that they will not carry on, and save teh vast sums of money they are ploughing in, however I really hope to be proved wrong.

Smilerforce 28 May 2014

Same old, same old

Confused brand, confused products.